Layered Dimmer system

ABSTRACT

A layered dimmer formed of different layers. The front layer may be a scattering layer, and the back layer may be a reflective layer. The light beam is scattered prior to reflecting, to avoid reflection back to form hotspots.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No.12/493,330 filed Jun. 29, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,206,012 issued Jun.26, 2012, which claims priority to provisional No. 61/076,729, filedJun. 30, 2008, the disclosure of which is herewith incorporated byreference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Dimmer wheels often operate using halftone dots. More dots in an areacauses more dimming effect.

The inventor recognizes a problem with these dots is that the dotsthemselves can sometimes be seen in the eventual projected light beamthat is projected. This seeing of the dots can be undesirable.

These dimmers can also cause heat problems since the dimmer element candissipate the heat.

Some parts of the light may reflect back at the lamp source, causingheat problems in the lamp, also.

Other ways of dimming are known. For example, the bulb be dimmed byreducing the power applied to the bulb. However, the color temperatureof the lamp is changed as the lamp driving is changed.

Finger based dimmers can be used where the fingers extend into the beam.

SUMMARY

The present application describes a dimmer with special parts thatallows improved dimmer operation.

A first operation minimizes the dimmer effect that can be seen in theprojected beam.

Another embodiment minimizes and/or eliminates heat effects on thedimmer by the projected beam.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a dimmer wheel

FIG. 2 a plot of dimmer plane illuminance;

FIG. 3 illustrates a dimmer wheel;

FIG. 4 shows a frost mask;

FIG. 5 shows a gradient for a reflection mask;

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the dimmer wheel;

FIG. 7 shows an alternative pattern for a dimmer; and

FIG. 8 shows a light system with a dimmer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a dimmer according to an embodiment.The dimmer includes a glass substrate 100 which includes a source side101, which receives the incident light 102, and a lens side 115. One ormany portions 105 of the source side may be roughened, e.g, formed offrosted glass that forms a roughened surface. Other roughening layerscan be used.

The light is scattered on entry by the roughened surface, formingscattering rays 107. A reflector layer 110 is placed on the other side,the “lens side” 115, of the glass substrate 100. The reflector 110reflects back some of the light that has been diffused by the diffusionparts 105. Therefore, the rays 107 shown in FIG. 1 have already beenscattered once. Hence, the by reflector 110 reflection causes asecondary scattering of those once-scattered rays. This forms reflectedscattered rays thereby spreading the heat from the beam and thepositions of the rays.

FIG. 1 shows many of the scattering rays, including the primaryscattering 106, and the secondary scattering 107.

The reflector 110 can be a reflective aluminum layer. The glass-toaluminum interface can have a measured reflectivity of around 86%.

The dimmer substrate can be a 2.2 mm borofloat substrate. Both sides maybe anti-reflectivity coated, e.g., with BBAR and protective coatings.With these materials, clear transmission, that is through un-coatedparts, can be greater than 99%.

As described herein, both the reflective layer on the lens side, and thefrosting layer 105 can also be patterned. Both can be patterned, forexample, in the pattern of a rounded-end part with extending fingers asshown in FIG. 2. This pattern includes a round part 200 which completelyscatters the round light beam, and a fingered part 205 that can be putinto the beam according to a need for partial scattering of light.

The scattering is based on the recognition that the distribution of thelight is maximum at one location. See the FIG. 2 which shows the “LBdimmer plane illuminance”, showing that the beam intensity is maximum atthe center of the beam and falls off rapidly from that location. Notingthat the light is not constant across the entire beam, the patterns maybe set to dim according to the light beam characteristics.

In view of this, a dimmer wheel according to an embodiment is shown inFIG. 3. The dimmer wheel includes an open portion 310, and also includesa number of concentric finger areas 320. Each finger area such as 322 ingeneral has a different darkness than another finger area 324 next to itand a different rate of change in the radial direction around the wheel.Some of the fingers are more generally more light-blocking, faster thanothers. This is done to control attenuation of light at locationsthrough the dimmer area. In this embodiment, the “mask” has the etchedfinger areas 320, etched patterned portions 305, a totally open area310, and a totally opaque area 301.

The frosting/scattering of the scattering portions 105 may also becarried out according to a mask as shown in FIG. 4. The frost mask isshown as having a completely opaque part 400, and fingers 405. Milddimming can be carried out just using the frosting, e.g., the area 400.Even milder dimming can be carried out using the fingers 405. Thelightest part of the dimming may be carried out using only the frosting.However the reflector can carry out even more dimming.

The reflector 110 may be patterned into a pattern that effects thedimming. For example, this may use a halftone intensity gradient dimmingpattern as shown in FIG. 5. The dots may be square dots, of 15 um squareminimum, but they may get larger in order to create more dimming effect.The dots are of 340 um typical center-to-center pitch.

The inventor recognizes that the frosting fingers may overlap with dotsin that area. However, in one embodiment, the dots are prevented frombeing imaged by the frosting. The frosting stops or reduces backreflection, allows an initial and very mild dimming in that first area,and keeps the intensity gradient dots from being imaged.

FIG. 6 shows another dimmer wheel embodiment 600, which has a reflectivearea 610 at the lens side 615. Light 601 from the source is scattered onentry at 602, and also reflected at 603.

In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the embodiment recognizes that a black coatingmay help the lens to “see” black. This may also absorb some of thelight. The FIG. 6 embodiment uses an aluminum reflector 631 and a blacklayer 630 under the aluminum layer 631. In one embodiment, the blacklayer can be a dark mirror layer 630, which may further minimize theamount of reflection. The black layer may be patterned or continuous.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment for the reflector dimmingpattern, which instead of halftone dots, uses a semi stochasticintensity pattern which has wholly reflecting “dots” 700, e.g., squareareas. It also has open “dots” 705. The probability is set for any areabased on the relationship between open and reflecting, e.g, for any dot,the probability of that dot being clear is 70%.

A random function can be used to form the pattern across an area,setting only the probability and the minimum feature size. Theprobability is sent by the desired amount of dimming.

Since this pattern is semi-random, even if it can be seen in theeventual light beam, it will be much less noticeable.

The dimmer is used in one embodiment in an automated stage light, e.g.,a light that produces a beam of light using a bulb greater than 700watts, and perhaps more than 1400 watts or more. A software control canalso be carried out on the light to avoid burning the dimmer. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 8 which shows a block diagram of the hardwareincluding operations that are carried out by the controller 811, whichmay be a processor that operates according to stored instructions.

A ballast 801 or other lamp controller that controls the intensity ofthe lamp 810. The lamp output 815 is coupled to the dimmer.

In order to dim, a controller 811 controls the effect temporarily.

The dimming wheel is also moved rotated by a motor 816, which can movethe dimmer to different locations. For example, motor 816 can move thedimmer in and out of the light beam, and/or can rotate the dimmer todifferent locations where there are different amounts of dimming causedby different patterns. While the dimmer wheel is shown as a rotatingwheel, it can also move laterally to put different parts of thesubstrate into the light beam. In addition, the substrate can berectangular, and can be moved within the light beam to place differentportions of the substrate into the light beam.

At 850, when a command is received to dim an effect, first one dims thelamp, for example the 1400 W lamp is dimmed to 700 W. This can be doneby controlling the electronic ballast 801. Then, at 855, the dimmer 815is moved into its place, e.g., the wheel with the dimmer on it isrotated to put the dimmer portions within the light beam. One the dimmeris in place, the light can be kept as is, or can be re-brightened at860. This prevents the wheel from overheating, minimizes thermal shock,but still produces a large amount of output. This combines software andhardware control to produce certain advantages.

In the embodiments, each optical item may have antireflective coatingson both sides of the substrate. This may be only located in certainlocations, e.g., only in the areas for transmission. Usually there is 4to 5% reflection per surface, but this can be reduced to a ½ percentwith coatings.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above,other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to beencompassed within this specification. The specification describesspecific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may beaccomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to beexemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification oralternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skillin the art.

For example, while the above describes specific materials includingquartz and glass, it should be understood that other materials, and moreparticularly other glasses, can be used as substrates. Other patternscan be used on the dimmers. Even though an exemplary embodimentdescribes the dimmers being on “wheels”, it should be understood thatthe dimmers can be on other substrates, such as movable plates.

Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrativelogical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described inconnection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented aselectronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. Toclearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software,various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and stepshave been described above generally in terms of their functionality.Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or softwaredepends upon the particular application and design constraints imposedon the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the describedfunctionality in varying ways for each particular application, but suchimplementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing adeparture from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the invention.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits describedin connection with the embodiments disclosed herein, may be implementedor performed with a general purpose processor, a Digital SignalProcessor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), aField Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device,discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or anycombination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein.A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in thealternative, the processor may be any conventional processor,controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also beimplemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combinationof a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one ormore microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration. These devices may also be used to select values fordevices as described herein.

The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with theembodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in asoftware module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two.A software module may reside in Random Access Memory (RAM), flashmemory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM),Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, aremovable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known inthe art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor suchthat the processor can read information from, and write information to,the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may beintegral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium mayreside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In thealternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discretecomponents in a user terminal.

In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described may beimplemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on ortransmitted over as one or more instructions or code on acomputer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computerstorage media and communication media including any medium thatfacilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. Astorage media may be any available media that can be accessed by acomputer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readablemedia can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical diskstorage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or anyother medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code inthe form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed bya computer. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readablemedium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website,server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable,twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologiessuch as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiberoptic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such asinfrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium.Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc,optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray discwhere disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproducedata optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also beincluded within the scope of computer-readable media.

Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words“means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixthparagraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intendedto be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expresslyincluded in the claims. The computers described herein may be any kindof computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computersuch as a workstation. The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brewor any other programming language. The programs may be resident on astorage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive,a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or otherremovable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, forexample, with a server or other machine sending signals to the localmachine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operationsdescribed herein.

Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should beconsidered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, whilestill staying within the teachings of the present application, unlesssome different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specifiedlogical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to beencompassed.

The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments isprovided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use thepresent invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodimentswill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the genericprinciples defined herein may be applied to other embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the presentinvention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown hereinbut is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principlesand novel features disclosed herein.

1. A dimmer device, comprising: a controller for the dimmer device whichcontrols an operation of the dimmer device including an amount of outputof the dimmer device; a light source, controlled by said controller,said light source being variable in amount of light output based on anoutput of the controller; a movable dimmer system, in a path of anoutput of said light source, having a first position in the path inwhich the dimmer does not produce a dimming effect on light output fromthe light source, and a second position in which the dimmer does producethe dimming effect on light output from the light source, saidcontroller operating to first reduce an output of the light source at atime when dimming is desired, second, after reducing the output of thelight source, to move said dimmer from said first position in the pathto said second position to create said dimming effect, and then aftermoving said dimmer system to create said dimming effect, to increase theoutput of the light source.
 2. The dimmer device as in claim 1, whereinsaid dimmer is a rotatable wheel, where said first position on saidrotatable wheel does not create the dimming effect, and the secondposition on the rotatable wheel does create the dimming effect.
 3. Thedimmer device as in claim 1, wherein said controller operates to reducethe output of the light source to 50% of its original power.
 4. Thedimmer device as in claim 3, wherein said light source is controlled byan electronic ballast, and said electronic ballast is controlled toreduce and increase a power to the light source.
 5. The dimmer device asin claim 2, wherein said rotatable wheel includes dimming parts in onlya portion thereof.
 6. The dimmer device as in claim 5, wherein saiddimming parts include a scattering surface on a first side of asubstrate forming said dimmer system, where said first side of thesubstrate faces to the light source, and a patterned surface on a secondside of the substrate, where said patterned surface is different indifferent areas of said portion.
 7. The dimmer device as in claim 6,wherein said pattern surface is patterned in a semi-stochastic pattern.8. The dimmer device as in claim 7, wherein said patterned surface is asurface of reflecting parts.
 9. The dimmer device as in claim 6, whereinsaid scattering surface is arranged into a pattern which is nonregular,and an amount of scattering is set according to a desired amount ofdimming.
 10. The dimmer device as in claim 7, wherein said patternedsurface is a pattern of halftone dots.
 11. A method of controlling amethod, comprising: controlling a power applied to a light source inorder to carry an output of the light source; also controlling amovement of a movable dimmer system, in a path of an output of saidlight source, between positions including a first position in the pathin which the dimmer does not produce a dimming effect on light outputfrom the light source, and a second position in which the dimmer doesproduce the dimming effect on light output from the light source,carrying out a dimming operation, by operating to first reduce an outputof the light source at a time when dimming is desired, second, afterreducing the output of the light source, to move said dimmer from saidfirst position in the path to said second position to create saiddimming effect, and then after moving said dimmer system to create saiddimming effect, to increase the output of the light source.
 12. Themethod as in claim 11, wherein said controlling the movement comprisesrotating a rotatable wheel, between said first position on saidrotatable wheel does not create the dimming effect, and the secondposition on the rotatable wheel does create the dimming effect.
 13. Themethod as in claim 11, wherein first reduce operates to reduce theoutput of the light source to 50% of its original power.
 14. The methodas in claim 13, wherein said first reduce comprises controlling anelectronic ballast to reduce and increase a power to the light source.15. A dimmer device, comprising: a substrate, having first and secondoppositely facing surfaces; at least a first portion of said secondsubstrate having a dimmer function, which dims light which passestherethrough, and a second portion of said second substrate not carryingout said dimmer function, said first portion formed of a patterned layerformed of a plurality of dot areas in a semi-stochastic intensitypattern where a probability is set for each dot area of dimming in saidfirst portion, according to an amount of dimming such that a probabilityof a dot area being a dimming area is set to the amount of the amount ofdimming, and said dot area in said amount of dimming is definedaccording to said probability.
 16. The dimmer device as in claim 15,further comprising a roughening layer, located on the first surface,where the first surface is structured to receive and scatter incidentlight.
 17. The dimmer device as in claim 16, wherein said rougheninglayer is arranged into a pattern which is nonregular, and an amount ofroughening is set according to a desired amount of dimming.
 18. Thedimmer device as in claim 15, wherein said dot areas are areas whichcause reflection.